uk athletics statement: sir roger bannister

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A message from the Chair of UK Athletics, Richard Bowker, on the sad passing of Sir Roger Bannister.

Any list of the most iconic moments in history such as Armstrong walking on the moon, or the fall of the Berlin Wall is bound to contain one especially famous moment on the 6th May 1954. At the Iffley Road track on that date, Sir Roger Bannister became the first man to break the 4 minute mark for running a mile.

It is impossible to overstate the significance of that achievement for our sport. Few other sporting achievements are remembered on such a global scale. The popularity and excitement of so many of our great athletic moments since can trace their roots back to the drama of that day in Oxford.

Whilst Sir Roger Bannister went on to a distinguished career in medicine making vital contributions to important scientific breakthroughs, he will be forever remembered by the public and by athletics fans around the world for that wonderful achievement in 1954.